Although I do have a craft room, most of my stuff is done at my coffee table, while I watch TV once my kids (and often my hubby) are in bed. I'm a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, and am here to create, share and inspire... I hope you see things you like! I'm always trying new things and trying to improve my creative process. If you see anything you have to have in your own stash, please click on the Shop button on the left to be taken to my Stampin' Up! website.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Thank You gift for Teacher and SUO Challenge 21

I saw an idea for recovering those small purse-size coil notebooks, and decided a full-size, hardcover notebook would make a fabulous teacher's gift! And I wanted to go ALL OUT! At first, I had grand visions in my head, including 3D flowers, glitter and tons of embellishments, but I realized it had to be able to lay flat when open, and stand up to being used and carried around, so I had to tone my vision down a notch... I think I managed to make it very textured and visually intense, without making it a useless decoration ;)

To re-cover the front, I used Very Vanilla Cardstock, and stamped the damask stamp from the Sale-A-Bration "Bliss" set over the whole page, alternating in Old Olive and Marina Mist. Then I turned it into faux linen with a gluestick and crumpled tissue paper. I used my Crop-a-Dile to align and punch the holes, and then snipped a slit at each hole, to be able to slide it through the rings. I didn't put it on or glue it down though, until the whole cover was finished.

Some close-ups...

I ran the Top Note die through my Big Shot, and then stamped this image from "Notably Ornate" in Versamark and Clear embossing powder. Once it was set, I sponged Old Olive over the whole diecut.

I used the First Edition DSP, and stamped these flowers from "Elements of Style" in black Staz-On ink. Then I used my Watercolor Pencils and Blender Pen to color them in, corner punched it, stuck a layer of Marina Mist behind it and distressed it. An Old Olive ribbon wrapped around it, with the bow glued down to keep things flat and portable, finished it off.

I did the "for you" with another stamp from "Elements of Style", the same way I did the one on the Top Note die, but I used Marina Mist ink for the sponging. Then I mounted it in some Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, dded two tags, stamped and punched with the Tiny Tags collection, and Glue Dot-ted them down.

This is just a close look at the faux linen effect... oh, and when I was done, I gave a few sprays of Smooch Spritz to the whole thing for a bit of glimmer. Also, I added a place saver on the same Old Olive ribbon... just a chunk of chipboard, punched with the Crop-a-Dile, and stamped with another stamp from "Notably Ornate", and then distressed the edges with a metal file from the Distressing Kit.

The inside...

Just some Very Vanilla CS and a stamp from last summer's "First Day" set on the left, and a stamp on the pocket, from the "Office Accoutrements" set.

And the back...

This is what the front cover used to look like. I didn't bother covering it, because it works well. I wish I could have put my copyright stamp directly on the brown, but I had to cover the Staples logo ;)

Edited: It was pointed out to me that I forgot to post all the details ;)

PS: All products used are Stampin' Up! except for the generic tissue paper, white thread and chipboard. I've also entered this into the Stampin' Up! Only Challenge, which is wedding stationary... I think this fits the bill :)